http://www.dispatch.com/football/football.php?story=dispatch/2004/12/25/20041225-G5-02.html&chck=t
Dukes won’t be taking part in bowl festivities
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
SAN ANTONIO — Ohio State freshman receiver Albert Dukes, facing two counts of lewd and lascivious battery in Florida, is under what can best be described as hotel arrest as the Buckeyes prepare for the Alamo Bowl.
"Obviously, we are very concerned," OSU athletics director Andy Geiger said. "Albert Dukes will be attending practice day to day. Other than that, he will be confined to the hotel.
"He will not participate in any of the social events around this bowl game."
Dukes is completing a redshirt year and was not expected to play in the game anyway.
"But he will not dress for the game, either," Geiger said.
Dukes turned himself in and posted bond Tuesday in his hometown of Belle Glade, Fla. The charges stem from his alleged sexual involvement with a 12-year-old girl.
"I have talked with police authorities in his hometown. I understand what’s going on," Geiger said. "He will go home after this is all over and take care of his obligations with regard to the judicial procedures."
Feliz navidad from Texas
Considering they are at the beginning of what could be considered a game week — the Alamo Bowl is only four days away — the Buckeyes will have to put some work in on Christmas day.
"We’ll practice a little earlier and we’ll have a little Christmas luncheon for the guys, and then give them a good bit of the time free," coach Jim Tressel said.
The rest of the afternoon and evening will belong to the players, which should be good timing for many.
"A lot of the guys’ families are coming in Christmas day. I think they could find some great flight packages on Christmas day," Tressel said. "They’ll have the chance to spend really the majority of the day with their families, if they’re here, and if they’re not, then with one another."
All they need for Christmas
Speculation is high that should something happen to starting quarterback Justin Zwick during the bowl game, the coaches might think long and hard about whether to burn freshman backup Todd Boeckman’s redshirt year.
Tressel has made no such declaration, and likely would go with Boeckman unless the problem occurred late in the game. But who is on the depth chart below Boeckman?
"Me," Tressel said, laughing.
Actually, it’s walk-on Ben Kacsandi, 6-foot-1, 210-pound freshman from Wooster. He has seen extensive action the past two days with the scout team, emulating Oklahoma State quarterback Donovan Woods. Yet he probably could handle some basic plays for the Buckeyes.
"It’s not like the NFL where we can go out and get like (Chad) Hutchinson to come in from no team," Tressel said, referring to the way the Chicago Bears signed the out-ofwork former Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback earlier this season.
He’ll be home for Christmas
Tressel said telling Troy Smith he had to stay home from the bowl trip was an emotional moment.
"Absolutely," he said. "It would be like telling one of your children, ‘We’re going on vacation, but you’re not going.’ Of course it hurts."
Smith, who wound up the regular season as OSU’s starting quarterback, was suspended for the bowl game after admitting he accepted an improper benefit from a booster.
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